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Rafael Nadal survives tiebreaker, David Ferrer falls in Rio semifinals

RIO DE JANEIRO, Feb. 22 (UPI) -- Top-ranked Rafael Nadal survived a long tiebreaker but second-seeded David Ferrer fell in an upset Saturday in the semifinal round of the inaugural Rio Open.

Nadal had to battle all the way to get past fellow Spaniard Pablo Andujar 2-6, 6-3, 7-6 (12-10) in the first semifinal match at Jockey Club Brasileiro. The 40th-ranked Andujar took the 13-time Grand Slam champion to a pair of match points in the tiebreaker before finally succumbing.

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Nadal's opponent in Sunday's final will be Ukrainian Alexandr Dolgopolov, who recorded a surprisingly easy 6-4, 6-4 decision over Ferrer, snapping the fourth-ranked Spaniard's eight-match winning streak.

Dolgopolov will be seeking his third career title. He is 0-4 lifetime against Nadal.

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